Protecting device for tubular



July 28, 1953 1 H. s. BIMPSON 6,8 8

PROTECTING DEVICE FOR TUBULARCONDUITS AND THE LIKE Filed June so. 1951 Patented July 28, 1953 PROTECTING DEVICE FOR TUBULAR V CONDUITS ANDTHE LIKE Henry S. Bimpson, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application June 30, 1951, Serial No. 234,633

This invention relates to means for. protecting theouter surfaces of tubular conduits. More particularly this invention relates to means for protecting the outer surfaces of tubular conduits that are subjected to erosive Wear of materials passing over them, as for example, in a steam surface condenser where drops of water traveling at high velocity tend to erode the condenser tubes.

In steam surface condensers or the like large amounts of water in the form of mist or drops of water, traveling at high velocity over the surface of the tubes tend to erode the tubes in localized areas of the tube bank. In the past, 'floor grating has been installed within the con denser shell to slow down the water particles to reduce this erosion. However efiective the grating may :be to slow down the water particles, the advantage derived therefrom is offset by an undesirable drop in steam pressure that occurs as the steam passes through the grating. The nature of the present invention resides in the novel features of a protecting device that may be made of stainless steel or other erosion resistant materials and applied to the outer surface of tubular'conduits, such as condenser tubes, in the areas of the tube bank where erosion of the tubes is noted. Included among'the novel features of this device are means :to prevent movement of the device along or about the tubular conduit being; protected and means to prevent longitudinal telescoping of two such devicesadjacently mounted on the. same tubular conduit.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel tubular' conduitprotecting device that is highly resistant to erosive wear, of lowcost, easy to install, and that results in materially increasing the useful life of a tubular conduit to which the'device has been applied. I Y Another object of this invention is to provide a novel protecting device thatmay be applied to the tubes of a steam surface condenser or the like to "protect the tubes from the erosive action ofdrops or water in the steam without causing an undesirable drop in the pressure of the steam passing through the condenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide at protecting device for tubular conduits that will not rotate about the conduit to which it has been applied.

Another object ofthis invention is to provide protecting devices that may be applied in multiple to a tubular conduit and retain a fixed position relative to said conduit.

'3 Claims. (01. 137-377) Objects and advantages other than those above set forth will be apparent as the description of the invention proceeds;

The novel features of the invention and how.

the objects are obtained will appear from the specification and the accompanying drawing showing an embodiment of the invention and forming a part of this application, and all of these features are intended to be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a foreshortened perspective view of a protecting device, embodying the invention, showing the device mounted on a tubular conduit.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of two protecting devices embodying the invention, the devices being adjacently mounted on the same tubular conduit.

Fig. 3 is an end view of several tubular conduits arranged in the manner of the tubes in a steam surface condenser or the like, with a protecting device embodying the invention mounted on each of the tubes.

In Fig. 1, a single protecting device is shown fitted about a tubular conduit 3. The protecting device comprises a sleeve 4 with a C-shaped cross section with arcuate walls that are spaced apart at their edges 5 a distance less than the diameter of the tubular conduit 3. The sleeve 4 may be made of a resilient, erosion resistant material such as stainless steel. To slip the sleeve4 over the tube 3 the walls of the sleeve must be sprung apart at their edges '5. The resiliency of the walls of the sleeve 4 will cause the sleeve to fit snugly about the tube 3. The edges 5 of the sleeve 4 may be flared out slightly from the sleeve, as shown, to make it easier to slip the sleeve on and off of the tubular conduit 3 and to also prevent scoring of the tube. v I

To insure protection of the tube 3 in the area where such protection is required, the sleeve4 must not be permitted to rotate or move axially relative to the tube. Rotation of the sleeve 4 about the tube 3' would expose portions of the tube that must be protected, between the edges 5 of the walls of the sleeve. To prevent rotation and axial movement of the sleeve 4, a pair of tabs 6 are provided adjacent one end of the sleeve. The tabs 6 extend outwardly from the external surface of the sleeve 4 and secure the sleeve to anchoring means such as neighboring tubes or supporting structure that is in fixed spacial rela tionship with the tube 3. Each of the tabs 6 comprises an upturned portion of the sleeve 4 adjacent the end of the sleeve, each tab being formed by making a lateral cut 9 spaced from the end of the sleeve and turning up the portion adjacent the end of the sleeve. Holes 1' may be provided in the tabs 6 to facilitate fastening the tabs. to anchoring means; For example, in the case of a steamsurface condenser in which several adjacent tubes may become eroded in a localized area, a protecting device of "this type may be fitted to each of the tubes as shown in Fig. 3 and the entire group of protecting devices prevented from rotating about their respective tubes by lacing a single wire [9 through the holes I in the tabs 6 of each of the protecting devices and fastening the wire to other tubes, or to the shell [3 of the condenser as shown.

The sleeve 4 may be made of relatively short length and more than one sleeve mounted on those tubes that require protection along a greater length than is covered by one such sleeve alone. When a plurality of sleeves are employed to cover one tube it is desirable to prevent shifting or telescoping of adjacent mounted sleeves,

which would expose portions of the tube in the area subjected to erosive forces. An interlocking tab II is provided on the opposite end of the sleeve 4 from the end carrying the tabs 6, to limit the overlap of one sleeve upon another. The interlocking tab ll, determined by two lengthwise cuts I2, is bent back to project outwardly from the external surface of the sleeve 4 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. When a second sleeve id is applied to the same tube 3 and overlaps sleeve l to the extent permitted by tab H as shown in Fig. 2, tab ll may be bent down to grip sleeve 4a between tabs 5a and thereby cooperate with the tabs 6a to hold both sleeves 4 and 4a in proper position.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to. those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of the invention provides a new and improved device for protecting tubular conduits and the like and accordingly accomplishes the objects of the invention. On the other hand, it will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of the invention may be variously changed and modified or features thereof, singly or collectively, embodied in other combinations than those illustrated, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof, and that accordingly the disclosure herein is illustrative only, and the invention is not limited thereto.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters 4 said sleeves having outwardly extending tab means for securing said sleeve to said anchoring means to prevent movement of said sleeve relative to the tubular conduit; and each of said sleeves having means engaging the next adjacent sleeve to prevent telescoping of sleeves longitudi'nally of said conduit to avoid reducing the length of the tubular conduit protected by said sleeves.

2. Means for protecting at least a portion of the surface of a longitudinally extending tubiilar conduit in spaced relation to anchoring means, said protecting means comprising a plurality of sleeves disposed serially in end to end engagement and extending longitudinally of said conduit, each of said sleeves having a C-shaped transverse cross section and being in telescopic engagement with said conduit, a portion on both sides of one end of at least one of said sleeves deformed to define a pair of outwardly extending tabs for securing said sleeve. to said anchoring means to prevent movement to said sleeve rela= tive to the tubular conduit; and a portion adjacent the opposite end of said sleeve from said pair of tabs, deformed and ofiset from said sleeve to provide a 'means to hold the next adjacent sleeve to prevent telescoping of two adjacent sleeves longitudinally of said conduit to avoid reducing the length of the tubular conduit pro tected by said sleeves.

3. Means for protecting at least a portion of the surface of a longitudinally extending tubular conduit in spaced relation to anchoring means, said protecting means comprising a plurality of sleeves disposed serially in end to end engagement and extending longitudinally of said conduit, each of said sleeves having a O-Shaped transverse cross section and being in telescopic engagement with said conduit, a portion on both sides of one end of at least one of said sleeves deformed to define a pair of outwardly extending tabs, a hole in each of said tabs for lacing a wire or the like therethrough for securing said sleeve to said anchoring means for preventing movement of said sleeve relative to said conduit; and a portion adjacent the opposite end of said sleeve from said pair of tabs, deformed and offset from said sleeve to provide a means to hold the next adjacent sleeve to prevent telescoping motion of two sleeves longitudinally of said conduit to avoid reducing the length of the tubular conduit pro tected by said sleeves.

HENRY s. BIM'PSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Namev Date 2,177,128 Johnson Oct. 24, 2,419,675 Carpenter Apr. '29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 4 Date H 146,768 Germany Dec. 16, 1903 

